DARIO Gradi could be without both his first-choice forwards for Saturday's crunch home clash with relegation rivals Rotherham due to the demands of this week's internationals.

The Alex manager has hit out at the 'ridiculous' timing of this week's friendly fixtures which mean he must prepare for the Millers match without 31-goal striking spearheads Steve Jones and Dean Ashton.

Gradi has already ruled top scorer Jones out of his starting line-up.

He said: 'I think it's a ridiculous state of affairs that players have friendly internationals at this stage of the season. Steve Jones is playing for Northern Ireland in Estonia today and has to catch three planes to get back. At best he's going to be home on Friday morning, so he'll be in no fit state to play. I've virtually written him out.

'I think I'd have been better advised to copy Sir Alex (Ferguson) and pull all my players out with injuries.'

Ashton has a better hope of playing - provided he came through an England U21s match in Sweden yesterday afternoon unscathed - but Gradi will be limited in the work he can do with him before the game.

David Vaughan, on duty for Wales in Hungary, is another doubt.

Gradi said: 'Dean's got half a chance but Vaughany's gone off a million miles away as well and he's suffering physically at the moment.

'Saturday is an absolutely vital game for us and our preparation will be poor. It's not the fault of the international managers, it's just a stupid system.'

On the plus side, David Wright and Adie Moses are both ready to start in defence while club captain Dave Brammer could make the bench.

Gradi said: 'I think David Wright is our best player. He will give us stability and ability. I don't know whether the other back players will feel better having him there, but I know I will.

'Dave Brammer could be on the bench as well and no-one could have worked harder to get fit than him.

'Full marks to him. He's been working morning, noon and night.'

Gradi believes Saturday's fixture could be pivotal to the Alex's hopes of staying in Division One.

'It's a massive game for us. Some poor results recently means that we are back in the battle fighting for survival,' he said.

'It would be a good game to win and if we do, I think we will be favourites to beat the drop.

'Fifty points might not be quite enough, but I'd like to think we'd pick up another point or two somewhere in the other games.

'If you look at the fixtures we have left, there aren't many obvious three-pointers on paper, but this is probably one of them.

'We want to win the game but we've certainly not got to lose it - I think it's that vital. Winning it will give us a big boost but losing it would be a big blow.